The new VPI Nomad - entry level turntable

ohbythebay

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"Because everyone should have a turntable..." . So says the CEO of VPI Industries

Get a Turntable Because Vinyl?s Making a Comeback: Video - Bloomberg

Very entry level looking - Built in headphone amp and headphone included ? $995

Mono and Stereo High-End Audio Magazine: The Nomad turntable from VPI Industries Inc.


vpi_nomad_turntable_review_matej_isak_mono_and_stereo_.jpg
 
Did you actually make it through the video? That was painful to watch even half way through! 1k for a table you plug headphones into? hmm... :skeptical: Maybe I'm just getting old.
 
I apologize doug...Shoot me..I only watched about 20 seconds...LOL

I agree, a $1000 toy is NOT going to entice those college students...sigh...VPI Nomad should be VPI Noway
 
Absolutely Rob. I would think most college students would go to a second-hand store and pay $25 for an old table and pick up a nice vintage receiver and a pair of speakers for a lot less than 1k. Maybe Monmouth College kids can afford a little more than most, I dunno.
 
What a hunk of junk! I'm surprised VPI even considered doing this. Makes me wonder about their other tables now. $1000 is hardly an entry level price either and especially for what is essentially a toy. An entry level Rega without the required upgrades is only $460 and even if one has to spend another $400 on it to get it up and running it's a better table than this glorified crosley with a VPI label and $140 less! Hell, better still, that AT table for $250 on Amazon will blow the doors off the Nomad! I'm very disappointed. I had high hopes looking at the title of the thread thinking "hey, this might be pretty good". One 5 second look just at the picture told the whole story. I'm wondering how many units they will sell.
 
Absolutely Rob. I would think most college students would go to a second-hand store and pay $25 for an old table and pick up a nice vintage receiver and a pair of speakers for a lot less than 1k. Maybe Monmouth College kids can afford a little more than most, I dunno.
Hey I'm a Monmouth college student!! Ok ok it was 25 years ago and I only lasted 1 semester but it's Monmouth university now. :)
That is a little steep for an entry level, I could see the whole idea. A kid in college dorm with a turntable and headphones but maybe at $499 not a grand. Vpi is local to me and I've been there several times but the new regime running the place is getting a little crazy.
With their 3d printer arm the arm tube is more than an entire jmw arm and the word on the street is it's not that good . Then a $24000 direct drive which I haven't heard much about yet, but looks like a classic 3 . And then 2 different scouts and 5 different classics now(1,2,2.5,3 and 4). Plus Aries , HRX traveler and now nomad!! Wow!!! I remember when it was just hw19, Aries and TNT . And you would buy the basic table or the junior version and upgrade as you go.
As a few of you know I've had 5 different vpi tables over the last 15 years.
And recently left vpi for another brand. Why? Well first I was just intrigued with the table I bought, second I found an offer couldn't refuse . Third being able to upgrade my tonearm in the future is important to me. But main reason is because it pissed me off a classic 1 can't be upgraded to a classic3( my dealer told me it could be when I bought it), because the plinth and arm are so different. And that was never vpis style. They always were in front in the upgrade game. You can put all the bells and whistles on a classic 1, and it's still not a classic3.
Oh another reason I didn't go vpi was because I couldn't afford an HRX which is what I really wanted. Lol!!!
I'm not sure where they are headed nowadays but it's definitely a different company than it used to be. Ok rant over !!!
 
Hey I'm a Monmouth college student!! Ok ok it was 25 years ago and I only lasted 1 semester but it's Monmouth university now. :)
That is a little steep for an entry level, I could see the whole idea. A kid in college dorm with a turntable and headphones but maybe at $499 not a grand. Vpi is local to me and I've been there several times but the new regime running the place is getting a little crazy.
With their 3d printer arm the arm tube is more than an entire jmw arm and the word on the street is it's not that good . Then a $24000 direct drive which I haven't heard much about yet, but looks like a classic 3 . And then 2 different scouts and 5 different classics now(1,2,2.5,3 and 4). Plus Aries , HRX traveler and now nomad!! Wow!!! I remember when it was just hw19, Aries and TNT . And you would buy the basic table or the junior version and upgrade as you go.
As a few of you know I've had 5 different vpi tables over the last 15 years.
And recently left vpi for another brand. Why? Well first I was just intrigued with the table I bought, second I found an offer couldn't refuse . Third being able to upgrade my tonearm in the future is important to me. But main reason is because it pissed me off a classic 1 can't be upgraded to a classic3( my dealer told me it could be when I bought it), because the plinth and arm are so different. And that was never vpis style. They always were in front in the upgrade game. You can put all the bells and whistles on a classic 1, and it's still not a classic3.
Oh another reason I didn't go vpi was because I couldn't afford an HRX which is what I really wanted. Lol!!!
I'm not sure where they are headed nowadays but it's definitely a different company than it used to be. Ok rant over !!!

I had never heard of VPI until a bit over a year ago so I was not aware things had changed. It's still concerning though because they seem to have a couple of good products (at least I think they do) and then there's their RCMs, also a good product in my opinion. I like the sentiment saying that everyone should be able to have a turntable, but this is not the way to do it.
 
I think they missed a great opportunity.

Basically it looks like a $499 (or less) turntable. So lets say that's a price point.

Make that table but ensure this
RCA's out
License say the ART DJ Pre board for an onboard phono stage with a switch
You can bypass the amp (if your head amp has PHONO) or have a built in MM work for you
Skips the free headphones and have a head phone jack,,,

The circuits for these are tiny. And not costly...would have been a killer deal.
 
I had never heard of VPI until a bit over a year ago so I was not aware things had changed. It's still concerning though because they seem to have a couple of good products (at least I think they do) and then there's their RCMs, also a good product in my opinion. I like the sentiment saying that everyone should be able to have a turntable, but this is not the way to do it.
I found them in 98 when I bought a used hw19 table with audioquest arm for $600. Then I bought a used hw16 cleaner and used that for a year and then bought the 16.5 cleaner which was basically the same thing with a drain tube and better clamping system. Btw the hw16.5 is still the best value in analog. Don't let anyone tell you different.
They have a load of good products (HRX, classic series,Aries ) all are tops for value to quality. Is just the new vpi seems to be all over the map. And not what they used to be about anymore.
I once heard an HRX with a graham tonearm and a lyra Titan cartridge, it was better than any other table I've ever heard at any price!! If you want a new table and have a pricerange, vpi will offer the best table in that pricerange. Except the traveler. I hate that thing. Lol
 
I think they missed a great opportunity.

Basically it looks like a $499 (or less) turntable. So lets say that's a price point.

Make that table but ensure this
RCA's out
License say the ART DJ Pre board for an onboard phono stage with a switch
You can bypass the amp (if your head amp has PHONO) or have a built in MM work for you
Skips the free headphones and have a head phone jack,,,

The circuits for these are tiny. And not costly...would have been a killer deal.
Agreed!!!
 
I had never heard of VPI until a bit over a year ago so I was not aware things had changed. It's still concerning though because they seem to have a couple of good products (at least I think they do) and then there's their RCMs, also a good product in my opinion. I like the sentiment saying that everyone should be able to have a turntable, but this is not the way to do it.

I think is a big mistake.
VPI was a solution to get good TT in a fair price
This Nomad is a Joke and disrespect all customers of
the brand.
You want to compete with Rega or Project , built something good with a $399 price tag
 
I think they missed a great opportunity.

Basically it looks like a $499 (or less) turntable. So lets say that's a price point.

Make that table but ensure this
RCA's out
License say the ART DJ Pre board for an onboard phono stage with a switch
You can bypass the amp (if your head amp has PHONO) or have a built in MM work for you
Skips the free headphones and have a head phone jack,,,

The circuits for these are tiny. And not costly...would have been a killer deal.

Yes, not having RCA's out is ludicrous at best. Wouldn't having an on-board preamp, even a headphone amp introduce a wide open door to noise interference and hum? Just isolating the motor noise is tricky enough I'm sure. The more electronics introduced into it the higher the likelihood of noise being picked up I would think. For 1000 bananas that preamp would have to be a ART killer 10 times over I would think, but we don't know what the preamp is in there. What they should have done is find a way to offer a table like a $400 Rega only with the upgrades already on it, but for maybe a $500 price point or something. Or perhaps offer up a quality table that has a low base price of say $300 and a list of upgrades at various levels so one could keep it for a long time saving up for one upgrade or the other. Also for heavens sake, put a lifter or some cueing on the damn thing!
 
I found them in 98 when I bought a used hw19 table with audioquest arm for $600. Then I bought a used hw16 cleaner and used that for a year and then bought the 16.5 cleaner which was basically the same thing with a drain tube and better clamping system. Btw the hw16.5 is still the best value in analog. Don't let anyone tell you different.

I couldn't agree more about the 16.5, but many hate it for some reason. I find that it has an additional value of being easy to fix since parts are readily available all over the place, should anything go south on it. With proper care (as with anything) it will last thousands of cleanings. I hear that a couple of their classic TTs are also robust and very good. I'm hoping they don't do anything more like the nomad.
 
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